and problems we are addressing when we are going forward. an mrs. van buren. we feel good about that aspect starting at 9:00 eastern on of it. c-span. >> okay. coming up tonight on c-span2. a senate foreign relations hearing that looks at way to improve security at u.s. embassy overseas. and governors from as cro the country meet in milwaukee for we need to expand medicaid. our current medicaid system is the official national governor association summer meeting. broken. today the state department it has $3,500,000,000 over issued world wide travel alert focused on regions in the middle east and north africa after the budget other projections from last year. which has a severe implication on this budget. department received information that al qaeda could be planning attacks throughout the month of august. as precaution they announce they would be closing as many as 21 embassy and consulate in we are trying to deal with these countries such as iran, egypt, existing medicaid systems, which is putting a burden on the point libya, afghanistan, and yemen effected sunday. in time. i have had very cordial it remains in effect until the

end of the month. conversation with a secretaries. a few weeks ago the was a tounge but with the secretary there are of hearing on capitol hill. regulations that have within the last two weeks. the state department's head of diplomatic security was among the witnesses taking questions about measures congress and the state department could take in with medical groups and insuring safety of -- insurance companies we are it's less than an hour and a half. figuring out the details and interpretations of the regulations. because these regulations could [inaudible conversations] make or break our budget. just in the past week and a half come in the new regulations come on board, which allows hospitals to do a screening process of any patient that comes into the hospital we cannot afford the care and we have asked the hospital to do the screening and that the screening shows that they can or cannot get on medicaid. we put it on and there is a two month period.

we are trying to figure out if they didn't qualify, does the state get a refund of the hospital did not do sufficient [inaudible conversations] screening. so those are very important questions to ask. because if we do not get a refund and those that did not qualify, that could add 30 to $100 million to our budget. so those are the issues that we are having going daily with the the the hearing will come to federal government. order. and we hope to we are talking today our real focus is ensuring a security of our missions abroad and the safety of our foreign service personnel. that as always been and will about the hospitals are remain a priority of this incentivized to do that correct committee. having said that, i hope to have screening or they will pass on the support of my republican their cost to the state colleagues for the embassy security act i've introdisused taxpayers we're working on right -- now. introduced. >> next question? who gave their life and service in the nation on benghazi on september 11th. >> can you repeat the question? the lessons we have learned from the tragedy tragedies --

>> on the issue when it comes to health care so where do you kind we will increasingly face in the 21st century. and it will require our full, of balance that when it comes to unequivocal, unwavering commitment to fully protect our the federal and state government embassy and those who serve this nation abroad. we have studied what went wrong. we have looked back. now it's time to look forward an do what needs to be done to prevent another tragedy in the so we talk about talked about future. the states reactions to the after benghazi, 29 affordable care act, you have many different responses even recommendations to state and within different parts and congress. while we must do our part in overseeing state parties. implementation. we must also do our part to whether we have state exchanges or federal exchanges or whether we have the medicaid expansion or not. provide the resources and necessary authorization to in our case we have a federal ensure full implementation. exchange and we have referred to and we must make whatever the federal government and we did not get the medicaid investment are necessary to expansion. but we did something where we protect our embassy and our missions. reduced reduce the number of uninsured by 224,000. such investment are not ex

budget item. we must strike the proper going forward our state was balance between sealing off vol unique when it came in. nebility and high-threat areas and continuing to conduct vigorous and effective diplomacy that serves the national interest. the fact is, we can never have absolute security in an increasingly dangerous ronald unless we sale our diplomat in everyone living in poverty in steal tank. the state going forward is security alone is not our covered under medicaid. everyone living above the objective. poverty will be transitioned at the end of the day, this is not an either/or choice. into the marketplace either through traditional insurance or through the federal exchanges. we need to address the construction of new embassy that therefore, there is nominee for meet accident security needs and anyone else to act on them because we have options. cowhat we can to ensure existing we are already recovering just high-risk post we need our people to represent our interest over 90% on the affordable care and new construction is not an option. they stated it clearly. act. i quote, the solution requireses a more serious and sustained you see ec very unique commitment from congress to characteristics. one of the unique advantages support state department needs that i have found here in which in total institute a small wisconsin, being an active part

percentage both of the full is not only consistency. national bucket and that spent for national security. the chair and vice chair have one overall conclusion in this talked about that with homeland report is that congress must do security and some of the things that we do. its part to meet the challenge other things we have done even with health care they have these it and provide necessary resources to the state department to address security risk and meet mission impartive. the bill i introdpiewsed is part of the solution it's serious and sustained commitment that takes lesson escaped with have learned and turns them in to action. as i said total security is next to impossible. exchanges, they do something our diplomats cannot encase nems very unique. they were in a position that other governors were out. stone fortreats. it's clearly not an option. so the solution must be multifaceted. we have a template example of it must include enhanced the affordable care act. every state is going to do physical security around our embassy. something different and that is the benefit of being together, and ensure that our diplomat are having our staff and even having equipped with the language this at lunch. skills and security training necessary to keep them safe when they come out from behind the to sitting down and talking about this and other issues. embassy wall. we get a good understanding. it also requires us to ensure that the persons protecting our missions are not selected simply

because they are the cheapest available force. where conditions require enhanced security. this bill gives state additional flexibility to contract guard forces based on the best value [inaudible question] >> to what extent do you folks rather than the lowest bidder. it means upholding people believe. accountable when an employee exhibits unsatisfactory leadership that has serious security consequences, the secretary must have the ability to act. this bill gives secretary [inaudible conversations] greater flexibility in disciplinary action in the >> okay, let's answer this. future. it authorizes funding for key the governor and i got know each -- and including embassy security other right off the bat. and construction, arabic language training, construction the governors got to know each of a foreign affairs security other and we have an appreciation for it. training center to consolidate we converse on labor policy and expand security training issues, but i was born in operation for state department colorado springs. personnel. so that instead of piecing i asked how the fires were going together our training at and not long after that, i was facilities up-and-down the east

coast, we stream line them in a at harvard. single facility that can provide comprehensive training more people. lastly the bill requires detailed report from the department on the progress and and i just checked and i really implementing all of the thought that all of this, recommendations made by the accountability review board. politics aside, that governor specifically requires the hickenlooper has set the identification of and security standard for responding on the of high-risk and high threat side of politics and showing facilitity. at the end of the day if we fail absolute compassion on behalf of to act and address these issues the people of his state. first and foremost with everyone there will be another incident. a responsibility is ours. and the failure to act will be in that state. ours as well. it's a time for solutions. and then dealing about with that, let me turn to my afterwards. distinguished ranking colleague who has worked with us to have my wife had her appendix out in the middle of the night and john called me read right at the time the hearing senator corker for the opening statement. >> thank you, mr. chairman. thank you for your effort to the tragedy happened and did the focus on the issue of embassy security, and candidly the way same check-in, one of the

you conduct our efforts here in benefits was having him be there foreign relations and bipartisan way. it's much appreciated. i want to thank the state department for bringing forth for me. the kind of witnesses that, you ow, carry the weight on this he was asking how we redoing and issue that matters to all of how we were holding up. that is really powerful. after the case we looked at it us. thank you both for being here. and we saw the similar we have a procedural issue situations. occurring at 11:00 that is semi important. i might be stepping in and out this includes domestic violence on the phone before the net problems. we saw the outcome for that in vote. our case and in our situation. i want to thank for being here. it went beyond this. i know, our officers have been in contact with you. let me extrees a couple of concerns. .net imagine terrific individual could use explosives or whatever and we raised some serious questions about this and the response, and we know especially after recognizing there's a bigger what happened in libya, it just issue dealing with the health concerns that go beyond us. highlights the threat that they are under. we know the threat are taking place all over the world. i know, that the state it was, untreated mental health, and in one case or another, department has requested funding for numbers of new facilities similar cases, as well as domestic violence issues. that is the path that we saw fit that take many, many years to build. yet at the same time i know we

on. have people today where we just that is the path that we chose. every study is unique. came from or general came from that are under a lot of occur >> governor walker is right. it does make a difference in res now and candidly, you know, have some security issues. periods like that to have other so i do hope as we move along governors reach out. i can say without question that we'll figure out a way to every governor, almost every balance between some of the longer term projects that are governor, in those times that we taking places that are not under very serious threat with some of reached out. it does make a huge difference to us. the short term needs we have. i know, there's some focus on building a training facilitying with which i know is very companyive and we're aware there's way of doing that training in ways that don't almost every state in our country dramatically over to the require spending hundreds of billions of dollars to build. cutbacks to mental health and treatment back in the 1980s i hope we'll move along in a and 1990s. appropriated way. i don't want to rehash the past. i think that chairman knows we have tried to move away from some of the things that happened in the past. i would like for somebody to explain to me at some point we i hope that we can understand did have the arb.

i know, we have four employees that as they deem $20 million a that were involved in, you know, some reporting on the arbs. year, we are committed to that. they're still on paid leave and nothing has occurred. and i would like at some point understand how we bring closure to that issue, but, again, thank you for being here. thank you for your sf to our country. i hope in a bipartisan way we'll move ahead in a way that certainly does the immediate things that are necessary to make sure that our foreign service officers are safe. thank you. we are talking about half the >> thank you. >> i'm pleased to introduce bill gun purchases. so we were able to go look at, miller. in 2012 in the state of colorado, do we make a difference? as many of the critics have said, with that they wouldn't go a wls have gregory star, the get a background check wasting acting assistant secretary of the diplomatic security honest people's time and money. service. these two officials sit the an it is pretty well memorized. ex nexus of policy management discussion. thirty-eight people were convicted or accused of homicide we look forward to hearing their trying to buy a gun. perspective on the legislation and the best way to secure the twenty-three convicted of sexual embassy and keep the personnel assault and 620 burglaries, 1300

as safe as possible. with our thanks, both of you people have been convicted or accused of felony assault and have for being here. we'll begin with your opening these are all convictions of the statements. your full statements will be included in the record. judicial process. we ask you to sin these around we have 420 people that had the judicial restraining order five minutes or so so we can against senior girlfriend or have member engage in a dialogue wife or partner or husband . >> thank you, mr. chairman. departed us. they tried to buy a gun. as for people we had 236 ranking member corker. i want to thank you for your invitation to appear here before individuals were making to pick you today to discuss the future up their brand-new gun, they had an outstanding warrant for her of embassy and diplomatic arrest for violent crime. security. we appreciate and share your commitment to enhanced security. as evidenced in the recently introduced chris steven embassy we are really obscuring what was security and protection act of 2013. the attack on the u.s. her primary focus around mental health. but i do think that long-term having background checks, where diplomatic facility last september and subsequent attacks this year as well, against diplomatic facilities and criminals can get guns and other places and making it harder. personnel remind us every day that the world is a dangerous place for diplomacy. unfortunately, this is nothing

new. being on the front lines of u.s. national security has always >> lumber that was intriguing to been inherently risky. me is that we had a tragedy in however, we strive to mitt mitigate this risk to the utah. a deranged man went in and killed about seven or eight maximum extent possible. the fact remain we will not even people. with the most willing and capable government partner as we have in many places around the world we will not stop terrorists or extremists from attacking us in every instance. we had a note that mr. redford rather we must carefully balance himself said at the conference, this risk against the value of in kind of a rhetorical fashion, pursuing our national interest in these various countries. what is this in regards to the we have learned some very hard and painful lessons out of benghazi. kinds of violence, it has become we are already acting on those a culture. lessons. the state department carries on the business of the american government and the people in 284 locations, many in challenging security environments where key u.s. national security interests are at stake. every day the department works we are just desensitizing

to protect our people and missions by constantly assessing everyone with these violent threats and security posture overseas. the bureau of diplomatic videos and video games. there are background checks of security advances american interests and foreign policy by mental health, the violence that we see in life that we just kind of patronize. protecting people, property, and this is something we ought to be information. we do this by maintaining a concerned about and if we change security program that analyze the threat, managing the that, we would not have these security situation, and kinds of activities to the volume of extent that we do. mitigating the risks. they constantly researches, monitor and analyzes threat against american or diplomatic facility and u.s. diplomatic personnel. this information along with trend analysis and case study of [inaudible question] political violence, terrorist acts, and crime form the basis >> we think about this with the of the threat assessment that we use that are provided to department of homeland security. department senior managers to support the operational and we are talking about the significance of the threat this policy decision making process. from this analysis, we determine ether they be short

term or long-term, should be is really billing on a taken to mitigate the potential conversation that we have had. threat against our diplomatic asset. from analysis in washington, d.c., monitoring our threat to the regional security officers we are talking about states and abroad, managing the security universities and financial organizations and everyone else. programs at the posts, we strive to provide the most secure this is really making sure that platform for conducting american diplomacy. governors are up to speed and we building on the recommendations have people working in the of the independent benghazi accountability review board, the organizations for technology interagency assessment team that were sent out, and our own infrastructure too often the considerable experience and expertise, the department is diligently working to improve the way we protect our diplomat not only at our highest threat posts but all of our facilities around the world. thank you in large part your hackers stay one step ahead. support in 2014 continuing resolution, progress is well underway. pursuant to the recommendations we're thinking through the of the independent be amo u.s.

opportunities to make us more foreign affair community personnel to deal with secure. high-threat, and high-risk environment through our foreign affairs cowrpt threat course. thank you for coming. we're expanding the duration of ds high threat tactical training [applause] >> now the opening session from courses and incorporating the national governors element of the training to the association meeting with other ds courses so that governors discussing health care regardless of a diplomatic costs. this is about an hour and a security special agent half. assignment. we have a flexible overseas. we're hiring 150 new security professionals and next fiscal >> welcome to our guests. year. i have a gavel. i want to call this summer .. meeting to order. we are talking about the agenda of the next two days. following the education and workforce committee will talk about employment and training services to create jobs. the health and homeland security

committee will discuss two topics providing for our veterans and homeland security preparedness. saturday's business a gender begins with a joint meeting with the natural resources committee we are talking about corruption. we would begin with a breakfast in business session. i look forward to seeing you at all of these sessions. we are honored today to be joined by several distinguished us from the international community. it is a great honor to recognize the ambassador to the united states from morocco.

we welcome the ambassador. thank you for being here. [applause] he is a great guy, he is doing such a wonderful job here and he is also representing the u.s. and air chamber of commerce. >> i wanted to allow plenty of time to answer your specific questions and i would be glad to we have representatives from the take those questions after here canadian interparliamentary for my colleagues. group and the canadian consulate and he will provide his remarks and we ask you to stand and be at this point. recognized. thank you. >> good morning, chairman menendez. ranking member bob corker, and distinguished members. we are talking today about embassy security we are talking about the recently introduced bill by embassy security and >> we appreciate you being here. if i could have a motion for the adoption of the rules of personal security of 2013. procedure, as you know, under the new policy process that we it has been a concern since inception of embassy security adopted, policies for two years.

almost 100 years ago. to counter these global threats come in, the office of the chief if anyone has any questions regarding the policies, please see david from the stack. special agent was formed in if i could have a motion for the 1916. it was not, however until 1985 adoption of the rules. any questions? all in favor? >> i want to announce that governor malloy will be here and he will be sharing the 2013 in at the same time is preparing 2014 nominations. with that, i want to thank the host of this year's meeting. for service to the u.s. government and the mission and vision was part of the team that i particularly wanted to join. in 1987, i became a special i would like to welcome governor agent and since then i have devoted my 26 year career to fulfilling the mission to walker to come up and please say a few words. [applause] provide a safe and secure >> thank you. environment for the conduct of foreign policy. >> thank you for the

introduction. we are talking about the incoming leadership and we have had a great team. i have manage security programs welcome. welcome from wisconsin. is a regional security officer i hope those of you had a good time. and over a number of folks, we in iraq and pakistan and jerusalem and philippines and indonesia. have a number of international to demonstrate the depth of my guests as well. experience and not of special agent come i would like to highlight a few of my it was actually kind of funny. i think back. accomplishments. i have dealt daily with possible terrorist acts that have 1998 was the last time we held impacted the lives of americans an nga conference here in the to include the kidnapping of americans in the philippines as state of wisconsin. before that it was all the way well as participating in the back to 1914. capture of one of the main perpetrators of the 1993 world trade center bombing. we came here to milwaukee and we when the united states returned in 2003, i was asked to serve as had such a great time. the first officer and manage the terry branstad came here. i swear he got half the state of environment as we reestablish our diplomatic presence. most recently overseas i was the iowa last night. but they had a great time. his kids and grandkids and their turn tendering be arab spring. in-laws and everyone was here. it was so great to see that.

making to ensure that we have adequate security resources in we are glad to have the branstad family here. egypt. after the september 2012 attacks late in the evening, i think , the department created people have consumed enough of the miller products there. i got up and saying, for those the diplomatic security secretary of state for high-threat posts, also known as of you who left early, you missed out on that. we had a lot of fun and a great time. i think the best outfit other htp. the departments are diplomatic missions worldwide. than the jersey that i wore goes to jan brewer. churning which posts are designated as high-threat and high risk and are now 27 posts. who actually has a brewers jersey. because they have cactus motifs in your state.

the high-threat protection >> we are trying to live up to directive that i lead overseas the hype of last night. in these high-threat poster on many will be joining into my the world coordinate strategic and operational planning and activity. drive innovation across a broad spectrum of the ds missions and responsibilities and we continue to work together with the regional bureaus to ensure that everyone has visibility of the security threats at her post. a vice chair even took lessons and she will be going down as as the deputy secretary for htp, well as other governors here and i am responsible for mitigating we will be joined by about a the security threats as well as directing resource requirements at high diplomatic missions. half dozen veterans who'll be i closely follow developments and assess our security posture. writing inside cars. it's going to be a wonderful time. we are going to have a wonderful celebration. so this is our way we are going to be at the great lakes and we're going to have a wonderful time there at a museum that is literally on top of the lake

as you have said, we can never truly eliminate all of the risks itself i know that when it is facing our dedicated personnel working overseas to advance u.s. interests. however, is the department has set in place the highest priority on the security of our personal and have continued to take the steps necessary i would this activity, we had about half like to thank you again for the the teams in 1982 out there. opportunity to appear before the committee today and discuss the it is game seven. thank you all for being here. security. i am available to answer any of your questions. dennis and linda, jack is >> thank you both for your testimony. you know, i have heard from some sticking up in door county. we appreciate that. we will figure out that along of my colleagues that suggest the way. that what we need is this greater oversight of state but we don't need any money. the question is, can you under we appreciate you being here. the existing budget, with no additional revenues, protect [applause] throughout the world the higher

risk of lives of those who are assigned to the diplomatic corps representing us worldwide. >> senator, thank you for going we all know how critical jobs right to the heart of what is and employment are for the citizens of our state and to our economies. my initiative, which is called a really of importance to us in better bottom line. many ways, giving us the it is about providing resources to address this. policymakers with practical ideas and the numbers are this proposal gives us a proper staggering. 54 million americans are living level of resources that we can utilize effectively now. with a disability. we have this budget request that as governors, we know that when rolls both of these pots of barriers prevent the population

from participating in our money into our request as well. i believe that that amount of money gives us the ability to workforce, talent is being move forward and do the things wasted and our economic that we need to do. competitiveness suffers. we all want to be jobs governors the second part of that question is as all of us have mentioned, we cannot guarantee that we are for all the people in our state who once were. going to protect every single person. but that level of funding and we are working to include more people with disabilities in employment throughout the nation resources combined with the types of actions that we are taking gives us a level of confidence that we have adequate and appropriate resources to address the types of threats that we need to address we are going to prioritize across the board where we put our resources employing people's with disabilities is not just a matter of charity, it is what is in the bottom-line interest of the companies. for them, this is not about shares. it is about doing what is in the best interest of the >> what i am trying to get at is shareholders. i promised we would be coming up

that if i zeroed out your with some very practical things. that governors can do to advance employment opportunities for account, what would you do? individuals with disabilities in our states. >> well -- >> if i zeroed out, if you didn't roll over this part of the congress, what would you do? >> we would prioritize very heavily. we have conducted more than 60 meetings with state practitioners to inform this >> understanding the context of work. and i want to thank the nga security. secondly, if i cut it in half, staffer doing an outstanding what would you do? >> i think that that would cause a reassessment of where we could actually put people. job. i don't think that we would be a able to stay in the high-threat locations where the u.s. national interests are most important. it includes business leaders and researchers and policymakers. in february at the nga, you off all join me in hearing from business leaders is why

this is current funding for the employing people with disabilities is better for the cost sharing program. bottom line. which the president's fiscal in may we hosted, the nga year 14 budget has requested this amount. it wasn't just a number from the hosted, to state institutes where we drill down so we can sky. it was based upon an analysis from the accountability review board about what your challenges are and what your needs are and help people with disabilities. what you can realistically administer over a period of time thirty-three governors sent teams to those institutes and we have more than 100 participants at each event. from a security standpoint, do you have a sense of how many new facilities are needed? particularly in high-threat and high-risk locations? >> sera, within the high-threat we are talking about vocational rehab and health in budget and finance officers. he sent capable people governor list, we have a certain amount of them that have the new facilities. but there are still about 15 facilities that we do not have the post type of buildings.

there are other places where we don't have those facilities in daugaard, i would like to thank you for your leadership. there is quite a broad range of perspectives and it made for a very rich discussion. the state teams were able to learn about the best practices, the past 13 years. not only from experts in the field, but also from each other. over those 30 years we have constructed these facilities from 1988 through 1982. we are about 110 out of 175 facilities that we would like to replace diligently and have their proper level of standoff that is mandated and have a they are partnering with level of protection that we seek walgreens to launch a retail for people overseas. >> let me ask you. employees with disabilities, it is something you will see in

walgreens across the country. what is a security upgrade versus a new facility? >> it is done in many places we are employing people with around the world and we don't disabilities. we have heard a lot from things have facilities that have setbacks. we cannot retrofit many of our that governors can do internally buildings to withstand blasts or to make state governments friendly to people with direct attack without the ability to move to a new disabilities. location in the choir sat back and built facility that meets the blast standards. we are making this welcoming for >> where new construction is not an option because of the people with disabilities. inability to either secure land the governor started posting his video messages with closed or find a suitable location or for other reasons, how does the department seek to mitigate less captioning. earlier this year governor duke high-threat facilities? guard recorded a message to state employees encouraging >> many of those locations we have withdrawn for our families. we have cut down and moved our awareness this is part of a statewide focus on culture. staffing levels to only the he started the video in sign personal that we absolutely language and it has captions need. we have worked closely with host throughout. there is a lot that we governors governments and asked them to closer streets around our can do within our state governments. the business plays an important embassies that we can try to role. we can just not scale back on maintain some setback.

many of them have done that for this issue. we have have businesses embrace several years. it also looked was eventually to us. so as part of the institute, we move our facility so they can have focused on the business reopen the streets. perspective and we have heard we work closely and training of personnel and then trying to from business leaders representing all kinds and sizes train them with capabilities. the real one where we are really of business. we do this so we could learn faced with facilities that don't directly from them about how we can support them in hiring meet security standards, we work people with disabilities. with the host government to try to increase our setback and hard this is a major focus to make sure that we understood from the in the facilities and make sure business perspective. that we have only the people in pittsburgh we visited hi necessary at the post that we need. >> okay, so to recap, money is a mark, a major health insurance provider and bank of america, as well as a disability owned can consideration here in terms of your ability to say to this contend firm in pittsburgh. all participating on that panel. committee that we are doing as best as we can to secure our we were hosted by microsoft. executives from nordstrom and a people around the globe. firm called inside. >> i cannot say it better. it is powerful. powerful to hear from the business leaders.

>> finally when when when we employing them is for the better look at him and his of the bottom-line. deconstruction, i understand it is prioritized on the basis of i asked some panels to focus on securities. is that a correct statement or the question that is very an incorrect statement? simple. what can states do to make >> the primary driver is businesses more likely to hire security. we provide a list of the highest people with disabilities their priorities. within that list, as we understand it, obtaining real estate and property deals in and building facilities are long-range and very difficult. answers revealed some common themes and implications for state policymakers. we have certain flexibility, but we have reinforced most recently i want to take away three things that we want them to really look at the highest threat posed on from the business panels. skills are at the top of the the high-threat list and determine whether or not we can list. businesses don't care about the make significant progress on disabilities. they care about the abilities. them. i can give you one example, sir. after 30 years of trying to find the state has partnered with a land for a new facility to start the construction, we believe we regional firm and an are going to be successful next international organization that started in denmark. couple in the next couple of years. and it looks like we have a land it is dedicated to employment of individuals with autism. deal and it looks like we will be able to actually replace facility in beirut that we have

been trying to replace for many years. >> good. for those of us that are not acronym profession, what does it they have committed to hire mean? people who have autism for more >> the office of overseas than 3% of their consulting work force. because they recognize that building. >> thank you both for coming these individuals are especially qualified for technology roles here. like software testing and data when we have a hearing come in quality and data mining and data the first hearing with the leadership that put forth this entry. and immediately they were as states, we can help educate and prepare workers for a range of disabilities to meet these talking about this, it seemed skills that are needed by her like whenever there was a problem, that was the first place that we would go. i understand that we may need to look at that. businesses. at the same time as we look at the plans, i know you currently have 1.4 billion and you have asked for 800 million more. and i see that we are spending a huge amount of money on we are talking about how it facilities. works for business and i have a favor to ask you. can you please find a job for these five people. even in places where we have we have to change our mindset.

construction underway. the new embassy won't be ready for another six years. and instead we have to be at the same time, this is a lot business partners to these businesses and these businesses of money that is being spent in are looking for talented people. oftentimes they are looking to our department of labor to help places and apparently security them find talented people and we really have to make sure that we issues are not necessarily urgent like we haven't some of the places that i mentioned earlier, in pakistan and sudan. are offering to help solve the challenges they face in finding it seems to me that from the people with particular skills standpoint of the immediate with abilities instead of focusing on the disabilities. security issues that are personnel has, and all of us, including you wanting them to be number three is businesses want safe, our priorities are not aligned with what it is we are to hear from other businesses. hoping to do for the outstanding they told us very clearly that businesses are more likely to foreign service officers. employ people with disabilities and i wish that we could just respond to that. when they know that another >> sir, i appreciate the point business in the private sector is already doing this. you are making. one of the things that we as in many ways on an everyday governors can do is bring business leaders together to talk about these topics so they basis we are trying to address can hear from each other in so the immediate security concerns they can learn from each other. through programs like increased the insight from the business panelists at these institutes training. lessons that we learned from reinforce the same things we have heard from businesses. benghazi, like how do we

increase safety awareness and we can respond to that of vice how we provide do we provide countermeasures to fire this as a weapon. and we can support businesses and in those places where we better in the future. can't get new facilities, we are doing security upgrades to the supporting businesses is one of the five practical things that governments can do to advance best that we can. but i think it is clear that while we are doing the immediate opportunities for individuals with disabilities in our states. together these five and short-term needs that we need to be addressing, we are recommendations that have also asking for the ability to surfaced over the last year address the long-term needs so that as we move forward in the include make employing people future, we put ourselves overall with disabilities part of the broader strategies. in a better position. changing the mindset. so it's not about asking a in 1997, our embassies in favor. the thing that we know that you are understanding that you are looking for people with nairobi were rated as low threat particular skills and we will help you find them. posts. we did not know that we were going to be seeing the number two is defined in support phenomenon of terrorism working businesses who hire with disabilities and number three, outside of the small lilies post it's a lot easier for us to go to businesses and tell them that this is something that they that we are mostly concerned ought to consider when we, as with. today we know that global states, our model employees terrorism is a worldwide ourselves. there's a lot of things we can do to put people to work in the

phenomenon. states. number three is we must do a lot better job of preparing people for life expectation of work rather than a lifetime on public we did not foresee the problems benefit. we face middle east. that is right within our our best answer on a long-term basis is while we are addressing the short-term immediate heat control. that we have to for our personnel and their safety, it is also to address the long-term needs that we put ourselves overall in this position. when we look at our facilities from a vulnerability standpoint back in 2000, we looked added we are talking up his resources and said we need 175 new we can tap into. we have designed the meeting agendas around these topics. facilities. the facility and also does not as a result of these institutes, have any setback or resistance. the state teams are hard at work implementing some of the best it provides a very low level of safety for our personnel. practices. we have already heard that many i hope to be able to replace of you are working to integrate people with disabilities as part this in countries like that as of your overall state workforce we go along for the future. strategy. which is fantastic. i've also heard that states are

focusing on businesses to give people a shot. one of my biggest takeaways is that governors can play this important role of bringing together business businesses so >> it is a combination of both. they can talk to each other. but certainly, our immediate issues come first. it is very powerful for we set up a combined military businesses to hear from each other. i've heard this from a number of states. governor branstad was just team to look at our highest telling me that he is planning on pulling together the threat level post in the aftermath of benghazi. individuals on this issue and i we have dedicated an immense amount of resources to upgrade this even further well will have understand it was a big success. on the high-threat list and we continue to do that. we have to walk the walk. >> what about the training facility? i have received some calls from folks and other senators. training now takes place in facilities that are already built and i have not visited we are working on this strategic approach and take a effort from them personally. you can share with me her own experiences. but why would we go ahead at a version 1.0 to version 2.0. time when we need capital to deal with some of the longer

term needs that you're talking another option is the executive about. why would we be expending so order that has been signed since much money to build a new this individual has been in office. training facility and apparently he actually signed it in the meeting out there. those needs are being taken care of in another existing facility? employing people to increase the >> thank you for that question, number of people employed by his state government. senator. this is a question that is very for more ideas about things that can be done in the states, i close to my heart. encourage you to take a look at we are currently using a leased the final publication of the initiative and our blueprint. right here and everyone should facility that is on weekends a racetrack facility in west have this at their seats. it is full of a lot of really good ideas and practical. virginia. we use it five days a week. please don't let this be another we can train approximately 2500 report that sits on the shelf foreign service officers a year. someplace. the types of training not for dh tsa agents like on myself but for regular service officers. we give them high speed training we can really move the noodle on this issue. and driving the vehicles, we we certainly appreciate the give them training in basic firearms training. we expose them to explosives so support as i mentioned, governor

daugaard came out washington that the first time that they hear a bomb going off, they can state i was wondering if you'd understand that if they have survived it, what their next responsibility ends. be willing to take time to share to deal with themselves and others. this level of training we have your insights on this topic. >> sure, thank you. found through the years has definitely saved lives overseas and prepared our people to serve in the environments we are sending them. we are employing people with regretfully the 2300 people that i train per year does not come disabilities. close and doesn't even meet the number of people that we have at a better bottom line is something we can sell to our our high-threat posts alone. we have a certain number of employers and ourselves. high-threat post where we can especially if you look at those only give our people before our who need a hand. the four hour online course to say please take this course. it is not just helping those so that the capacity of the near him, but helping all of us, ourselves what our citizens with current facility that we are disabilities. leasing cannot meet our training both of my parents were born needs. our long-term goal, given where we are putting people overseas deaf and i came to this initiative knowing that because is to train every single foreign of my parents that many service officer every five years individuals who have a disability know more about hard

work and perseverance and on the types of hard skills determination than those without security training that we believe foreign service officers need and in many cases their disabilities. those with disabilities have to adult family members as well in the current facility does not have determination and meet our requirements and doesn't even meet our highest perseverance. they have to overcome obstacles threat level requirements and at and challenges that most of us cannot even imagine. some point it may not be available to us. i also know that the majority of people want to be employed. we want to feel the dignity of taking care of ourselves and no one likes to feel dependent on others if they can support themselves. we believe that that will give us the ability in addition to whatever knowledge and skills they do process is very hardening our facilities, training or people before they important they want to be seen >> you require people in the for their abilities and not their disabilities. this effort was strengthened and i was fortunate to reinforce the

belief that i have that people with disabilities have a lot to offer. it's not just employing them in workshop environment. state department to execute that can be part of it for some who are not otherwise employed. this. but for many citizens, it is >> i know we have had a situation. really cheating them to be out we had for personnel and for in the workforce with the rest people that have been put on of us doing what we all do to leave and are still being paid. for what it is worth, it does make our society work. feel that there is a degree of a and what i learned was how much more we can do to help tap is lack of accountability. i'm just wondering if you might address that also. incredibly underutilized resource. and by doing so what a difference it can make. we build great facilities. but if people don't execute them and there is not that accountability, people are in situations that they shouldn't the economy is doing very well. be in. could you address that issue for us today? jack and i joke. >> yes, sir. thank you for the question.

i think that my first answer would be that bill miller is sitting next to me and my coming back after four years at the we just talked about how south united nations, there is nobody dakota has the second lowest unemployment rate in the nation. it is great because it shows the that takes its responsibility economy is doing well. more seriously than we do. the people that we manage in the agents that we train, the so where are we going to find people that we need as we expand and add jobs? engineers and the people that we and here is one answer to that question. citizens with disabilities can have in diplomatic security are dedicated. be one answer to that question they are ready to give their lives to protecting our people and how much more important was in my state were workers are in overseas. short supply to make use of every citizen that wants to work, whether they have a disability or not. we cannot afford to leave one person out of the workforce. i understand that there are i also learned through this initiative that there are still questions about the four numerous private businesses that are far ahead of state individuals. government and employing i was not here at the time.do citizens would disabilities.

the foreign service. it is my clear understanding that this entire issue is at the secretary of state's level. but he is getting recommendations on how to deal i also learned through this with this and he will finally initiative that i need to and make the decision on what will can do more to ensure that every be the outcome with the four people there. i will tell you that i have person in south dakota who wants to be employed with a disability is employed. worked with many of these individuals very closely. these are people that have given their careers to diplomatic security as well and the security of the department and i we ensure that state government have a great deal of admiration. is setting the example. we set this to private industry when we haven't done it ourselves and the first thing we need to do is make sure that state government is setting an example. so i think that all through the governor markel put it in the years we have had multiple

blueprint that is at each of our seats here. we can get together, the attacks in yemen and afghanistan and iraq, those people performed business community, state agencies, people with admirably and it is my hope that their entire career is not disabilities and advocates in south dakota or in our own guided by one single action. states. it is really a way to help so we will do whatever the responsibility calls for. employers see the way to make >> i thank you. that happen for them. i would just say that i don't think anybody here is on a witch i encourage you all to do something like that. hunt. i could not pick these out of line out. i do think it is important for legislators and private providers of services to the situation, it is stated that citizens and cabinet secretaries these people made mistakes that from five our state agencies. shouldn't have been made i think their job is to develop recommendations are going to be drawn from this blueprint. the response and the secretary

we are hoping to be a leader and follow the blueprints and take of state was dealing with this quickly. the ideas where they are found because it has been a long time. in some of your states. but i think you and i look forward to working with you and to adapt them to the south the chairman. dakota situation. >> thank you, senator. because i take this obligation i just want to say thanks again to governor markell for this very seriously. initiative. at least to the extent that i can. i am not going to have anyone exposed and that risk as a result of inaction by the committee. when i have to admit, when i saw so i am going to at times engage in a follow up so that we have a this as the initiative, governor sequential record that makes the facts and sides. there are two things that senator corker said. i want to get a little bit of clarity, so i will talk about markell, you have done such a good job to opening my eyes. i should've been one of those that had your eyes wide open. this. i think you for making this your immediate needs versus long-term needs and he responded you are working on immediate needs. of course the immediately means initiative. to the extent that you can

mitigate this. the report is not going to sit because if you don't have a on my shelf. make you. setback, you're not going to be able to mitigate that fully. so you have this and if you [applause] don't have a setback and you're talking about this, it's like, okay, this has limited capabilities. so when you say in the balance between what some may view as the long-term, which he described as hopefully getting to a point in which all of our >> i just wanted to share that this was your idea from the very locations are is best protected as we could envision today beginning. regardless of where they are we were not quite sure what to think. we have many that are familiar. located in the world, because we don't know where the next high risk posts will be in the so we went along with you. movement of a terrorist activity will take place. then we will all regret that we didn't think that also meant that much, by way of example. an example. so when you say your mitigate this is awards from the council

them. i would like the record to administrators and i thought reflect this. what are you mitigating in the short term. that it was right on that first. what are you capable of mitigating in the short term if you have an embassy or other it is the champion of equal site that is not fully mitigated opportunity. i just wanted to say from us but to the specification of what you it has been a pleasure working and the congress have provided them with a secure location. for you and it's always good when you are that active. you were there from the >> what we can mitigate his first a function of what the beginning. >> i want to thank the nga staff analysis in terms of the threat for doing an excellent job. and overall situation of the country tells us. >> we now turn our attention to health care. in a place like oslo today, we our keynote speaker is jeffrey have a full functioning staff and a fully functioning embassy despite the fact that we don't benner. have a setback for a secure facility. the reason we can do that is so that we have excellent cooperation from the government he is based in new jersey and is and we do not have information the founder and executive that we are running a high risk director and is a family physician and has been in opposition for 11 years.

and we are working on everything every single day. but to give you an ey single da. but to give you an example, it we are talking about more is quite a robust facility. coordinated and lower cost when the situation changed interventions into the governor's we just had a conversation about this. dramatically in cairo and when we saw specifically how this i think that we will be very worked and how we had evacuated impressed by many of the insights that the doctor has to offer. he owned a private practice and ordered departure, we have moved he has experience. out all the families and all nonemergency personnel. they have scheduling as well as first-hand knowledge on this. these are the types of things we can do to mitigate threats where we don't have a facility that necessarily meets the highest level of standards. he is now serving full-time till the executive director he spends there are things we can do as a lot of time he is advocating far as blocking off streets. with the models of care he is

>> is this to the extent that working to assist and develop you can mitigate something in these kinds of interventions. the immediate term? to reach the holy grail of improving care doctor brennan. [applause] if we don't have all of the other elements that are in play for this fully secured facility. >> exactly, yes, sir. >> okay. that gives us a little balance i have been a provider for my as to what the media versus long-term beds. entire career the costs keep going up, as all of you know, medicaid is collaborating with >> i read the recommendation number 23 that said that the these lower costs, not just with

findings of unsatisfactory leadership performance in medicaid and medicare, and in relation to the security incident under review should be some ways the problem is a problem of success. we can do incredible things for part of department regulations. people. many of us will pull strings to under the existing statutory authority there are limitations. what is the point you have to have in order to discipline get works or family can navigate through the delivery system. someone i need to look at section 203 of the legislation that i promoted. one that i believe satisfies the recommendation in that regard, >> i work in camden, new jersey. which would then give the one of the poorest cities in the secretary the authority to fire individuals who have exhibited unsatisfactory leadership and country. relationship to a security no one is fighting me over more incident. do you believe that section market share. would give the secretary that ability? >> yes, sir, i do.

i believe it's important to give that additional flexibility and i think that helps us. >> thank you for your input. >> thank you, mr. chairman. let me just concur with your observation. we have very important responsibilities. we appreciate the witnesses that are here. one individual is a medicaid it is our responsibility to patient who was diagnosed with review the steps that have been shortness of breath and had six taken under the authority and trips to the hospital going over resources that you have. but we also have a responsibility to make sure that and over again. she lives on a ventilator and she has a hole in her neck. tools are available for embassy she is hooked up to a security. that is a responsibility and the ventilator. appropriations committee has a responsibility with this and i this is time along the bottom, each of the red lines is a trip want to applaud the chairman. to the hospital. the height of the line is the i think that gives us a way to make sure that you have the link that state. yet it took state in the adequate tools in order to manage security of our embassies hospital stay, week later for a stake him out for a little bit and than back in for 10 days in and the chairman's follow-up 11 days. back in for four years. questions underscored some of those issues. i thank you very much, beginning to work for her. mr. chairman, for your

leadership on this issue and also recognizing the dual she had $95,000 in payments just responsibility that we have on our site and to make sure that the tools and resources are for her hospital care. available. she had 55 total stays. >> i have had the opportunity to visit many of our u.s. embassies. it's a common theme when you are let me introduce you to her. able to talk frankly with the embassy personnel and there is always concerns about the facilities that we could be she worked with us for 90 days. better. i know that you did the review several years ago in the list we meet patient's right at the bedside and we say, i bet you that was compiled several years don't want to be here anymore. ago and the progress we have most of the patients say absolutely, i'm sick of the made. hospital. and then we follow them out of i expect that this is updated the hospital. we visit their homes. we go with them to the primary care office and the specialty and et cetera. but is it time for us to do another evaluation globally of our facilities, recognizing that office. circumstances have changed? i personally believe that we we have a tremendous amount of need to do a better job.

work. the two young people that you this is an important ally and see here volunteers that work friend. with us for a year we have and i understand that it's not a high-risk high risk area. based on the security needs as well as the factors that are important. and many embassies around the world, the united states does not have the combination of space and efficiency and security that is ideal for us to carry out our mission. people navigating our incredibly >> sir, i believe that that is an accurate statement. complex challenges in the health it is, in many cases more than care system we are going to the just security. but certainly this is an overriding factor at this point. in many cases we don't have the space or facilities that we need. when we build new facilities the primary response is overseas long-term care unit for her and then we are helping her form a care team with your primary care building. provider.

and jessamine back to the hospital yet. not everyone can live in the we have many other agencies as city and have three square meals. but for many patients they don't want to be in hospital and our well it is a combination of current system ignores them and 25% of our elderly medicare patients are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days. that is an absolute failure to our seniors. these choices. we have another 75 or so buildings. >> yes, we have a way to give an updated and realistic inventory we are meeting the challenge is. this is just a story of poverty, this is a middle-class moment. and she was in a hospital that i really do applaud secretary that is part of a high five hospital system. clinton for recognizing the importance to our nationalions they need to have the resources and able to be able to carry since 1996 this patient had 192

that out in a safe manner and efficient manner. and i just think that we could use a better blueprint than one was developed fiber six or seven admissions, 147 cat scans and 73 years ago. >> senator, i will take that cat scans of the head. back. the office would probably be willing to come up with any of your staff to give you the information you would like. >> i appreciate that. >> what the want of a second issue on security. that is the competence and support that we get from the local government. we are beginning to talk about going more and more often. that is evaluated as part of the security mission that you have we don't have a system to meet to undertake. their needs. can you just briefly outline how that is taken into effect. how those factors are taken into the equation on security needs. there are many medicaid offices in the city of camden. in many all over the country.

we expanded the size of the emergency rooms. this is business intelligence >> i was beginning to feel a from the local hospitals so this little bit like that. we are talking about these teams as we go about assessing the various missions, 19 missions until the and felt that we were is very rare to be able to poke almost horrible at that time. what is called an all paid data set together. we have to roll them into this. we have the ability to analyze we have to string together late this data. if we are weak on one leg. that is our ability to be have someone went 113 times in one ear and we the public have spent $108 million a year for camden residents, a city of 79,000

people to go over and over and to be able to mitigate that by over to the hospital. strengthening this. that includes the cadre to work with the host nation and we are spending twice as much as every other country in the political counterparts to ensure health care system. that they would've to their responsibilities, just as we do care for them in the united but i don't believe we are states. getting our money's worth to it is something that we try to spend twice as much. address. but i can't get around my we try to address it through other bilateral training programs at of the u.s. government provides to help to numbers. for 1% of that for a million bolster capabilities and hopefully build up to the point where we can trust, as we do in dollars you could buy five of me. there is only 15 primary care most places, the ability to secure us. offices in camden we are talking >> is making one observation, i would hope that we engage the political apparatus of our country. about we are talking about how we can take care people and the can you update us as to how that market has responded.

is being implemented with the capacity with the local language? the market has responded if you >> certainly, this applies primarily to the capacity for overpay for something you will get too much of it. and you will eventually get a arabic language skills. bubble of hospital beds and the foreign service institute technical capacity of has been working diligently with specialists and will destroy the the rest of the department to other part of the market. include the security to assess what the requirements are. the most expensive in camden had 3.5%. .. we are giving those skills with the opportunity to acquire those skills for the special agents a chance in such a way that they would be able to work in an emergency situation. realizing it is a long-term process that allows them to converse proficiently in that process can be upwards of two years for someone like myself.

>> thank you, mr. chairman. we were paying ten to twenty times more if they were seen in a setting. if you pay too much for something, you'll get too much of it. that's what is happening in the health care system. the bulk of patients using emergency rooms in america >> i apologize if this has been discussed many times with regard to legislation that has been introduced. assuming that legislation were in place and implemented. would it have affected the outcome in benghazi simply because it wasn't embassy or even a conflict. would it have made a difference there in your opinion? >> benghazi was not a threat level that we should have reprioritize what we were doing with our existing capabilities.

i think the chairman for introducing this legislation and it will help us on a number of different fronts. but i'm not going to sit here and tell you that the tragedy and that ghazi could've been avoided had we had this legislation. i think that that was a question that we did not understand in a situation that we were in and perhaps we should've made a decision to evacuate that post earlier. but we very much appreciate this legislation and it will help us in many ways and it will strengthen our capability to stay in place where the threats are greater. but i'm not going to talk about benghazi on the lack of this legislation. >> benghazi was a particular situation given the makeup and the particular situation.

..

ifmy first hearing as a senator was the one with clinton. it was a memorable one. i'll never forget the first hearing. i reviewed the arb in advance of the hearing to prepare, and mr. chairman, i imagine you know this. there are so many recommendations you fix upon a couple. one was the recommendation about the expansion of the marine security guard program program. the second was the recommendation about training of our state department personnel. in the packet of materials we were given for the hearing, thrfsz a "new york times" graphic where there was a summary may 20th how far we are along in the -- and there's a spectrum in each

of these various recommends from basically not started to completed, and in each of the recommendations there's sort of a "new york times" assessment where we are. the marine security guard is lower than the midpoint. lowest one, the most not near not even started yet is the recommendation about to improve the training of employees heading to post and expand the number of post where the additional security training is required. you talk about the issue in response questioning from senator corker about the need for the training facility for state department employees. we have met about this previously, and the chairman's proposed legislation addresses this. just to give us some history for everyone here, the state department began trying to find the training facility to replace the racetrack that was used during the week about four years ago. they began this long before benghazi, long before the arb.

and there has been a four-year effort that considered 80 different site for the training facility, and it eventually dwindled down. some communities didn't want it. with a particular requirement largely to involve a facility that would be close to synergy with the marine security guard and others it dwindled down and there was a preference for expanding this program at guard pace fort picket. that was basically the performance that we were moving toward before benghazi.

in april there was another letter that suggested it was delayed largely because of an inquiry from the omb about whether or not we can maybe do this a half version or a knock off version at some other facility. i gather there's been some exploration at the existing facility in georgia that wouldn't have the synergy with the marine security guard program with the other intelligence agency which whom our department of state staff worked. i think the process moving forward before benghazi and the arb to require this training capacity is now after benghazi and after the arb being thrown in to a question mark status. it would be ironic, -- that's the wrong word. it would be tragic if a process that was moving toward better training optimizing training for secretary of states -- department of state staff before

benghazi and the arb would be now slowed down, watered down, diluted after we know what we know as a result of those horrible incidents on september 11th, 2013. what i would like to ask, what i would like to ask you is from the state department's standpoint, is it still your professional belief that the site was identified by the department of state at fort pick set the most consistent with the desire to increase training and the consistent with the arb recommendation that was forward to the committee. >> thank you for your question. >> the answer is simple, yes, sir. we still believe that the site gives us the best ability to train the number of personnel that we need to train to incorporate our partners in the

various other u.s. government agencies that are critical to our training in to that training to build the synergy we are our own foreign service substitute. yes, sir, we still believe that is the best answer. >> mr. miller, from your standpoint? >> i can only echo what about it secretary star said. we have to have the sirn gi in order to develop the relationship with our training partner as well as the students going through. and we both can give you number use examples of examples opportunity that foreign affairses officers have had to participate in actual life saving events where they have been benefited from the training they had the racetrack that served us well throughout my career. we have do better. if we can do better we absolutely have top. we are talking about people's

lives. >> thank you. i have no other questions. >> senator barlow rays sew. it's critically important to me the accountability review board knead clear that didn't get the mission in benghazi that they needed to ensure their security. so i just want to make sure we're learning from those failures and implementing real reform. with regard to risk mitigation. i understand we must accept a certain amount of risk to operate in areas like benghazi. the accountability review board stated milk rate gracious involved two impartive. engagement and security. it requires wise leadership, intelligence, proper defense and downsizing indirect access, they say, even withdrawal. what are the factors that the democrat -- department of state whether a location is too dangerous to support a diplomatic presence. mr. miller? >> thank you, senator.

we look at three basic questions. the host nation's capability and willingness i said earlier. we look at the current threat stream. we my forward with the diplomatsic engagement. we have to assess the options which you addressed. >> okay. are there posts currently you identified as needing to be downsized or closed? >> i can point back to it which we evacuated late last fall. late december. we're constantly evacuating -- evaluating other posts as a good example as our u.s. embassy in cairo over the past month as they've gone through the large disturbances not only in cairo

but throughout the country. so it's a constant evaluative process we go through and assess then what our next steps may possibly be. >> can i ask about the inspector general's audit of june 30th came out in 2013. released the audit of compliance with physical and procedural security standard that select high-threat level post. i'm concerned it's been ten months since the terrorist attacks in benghazi. the inspector general found the high threat level posts are failing to comply with security standards. i don't know if you have seen the audit yet. can you explain to the committee why the problems are happening, and what the plan and timeline is for remedying these issues? >> i think it's important we point out the defenses from the -- differences from the office of the inspector general. i think it's important to note the risk that i'm responsible of

leading and supervisorring the management of the program. i don't believe they visited any posts. when they're referring to high-threat, that is a very often-used and not well defined term. so as they look at the various recommendations, it should be parsed very carefully when we look at the post for which i'm responsible. i will say that we are continuing to work with the oig to address their concerns. we want to ensure that our people do have the best possible protection, and we value the oig's perspective. but an diplomat security is working with them to find common ground. >> thank you for their clarification. thank you, mr. chairman. >> thank you. let me thank both of our witnesses, not just for your testimony, but for the incredible service you are providing our country as you stream -- extremely difficult times. obviously, these are very

important responsibilities on the safety of our personnel. so we thank you very much. we also appreciate your willingness to work with this democratic national committee. there's been a lot been a lot of questions ask that i tink will invol uoing together to make sure we have safe facility and personnel in place. we have responsibility not only oversight and our partner and we look forward to working with you to protect the dedicated men and women who serve our nation and foreign posts around the world. with that, the committee will stand adjourned. [inaudible conversations] it was a temporary facility, and that the security policy board standards for facilities applied to all facilities including temporary facilities. in a report that the arb issued, of a state department noted it would reissue this long

established policy to all posts by january of this year. do you know if it was reissued? >> i believe it was january 23rd. >> okay. how are the overseas security policy boards standards enforced at temporary facilities? >> sir, when we move back in to a country. really where we're going experience temporary facilities. one of the thing we have to do is determine what our presence will be and have to determine what facilities are available and whether or not we can balance the need versus the safety. part of the process is looking at what facilities are available, what will cost to do those facilities, and whether or not we have the ability to do it. we are current will i not in somalia. we we send temporary duty personnel to somalia.

because we don't have a facility that we think could meet our requirement at the moment. i think that's the best judgment question give you. we are very vocal and clear when we say we don't have an answer that can meet the security requirements. we are concerned about places like do ma. we only allow temporary-duty travel in. we are working with closely with the u.n. we don't have a nailt -- nailt facility to meet our needs. we use the integrated planning cells to determine what we need to have. we have to make a determination whether we have the internal resources to meet the needs or have to come congress to supplement to do it. we have develop certain new tools to help us. one of the things we learned out of iraq where we had many, many people in trailers in many

places and take the trailers where we put sandbags around them. we put overhead cover and walls around them. we developed something called a trailer system which is a highly blast resistance bullet-proof trailer at the point that provides a high degree of overhead protection build in. we are trying to develop new tools that give us reasonably safe and secure accommodations and even officers in the temporary-type situations. >> let me go part b of the particular benghazi-typeset of circumstances. that is an instances where a facility is shared, or used principally by u.s. government agency other the department of state, how does the interagency process address security needs at that facility? who takes the lead? >> the individualbe responsible for upgrading the facility, but it's still upgrading to the osp overseas

security policy board standards. if they don't meet the standards they go through the same waiver and exception processes. >> very good. now, i want, for the record's purposes,. until now, correct me if i'm wrong, but the marine guard attachment to embassies was in essence for the security of sensitive and classified documents. is that correct? >> that is essentially correct, sir. the staffing level of we were putting in facilities was essentially to meet that requirement. >> most people see the marine

guard, i think even members of congress when they visited abroad and thought that somehow they were about protecting the embassy, the personnel, and whatever else including documents was in there. that wasn't the core focus. the core focus until a new recent agreement was to give the time should an embassy overrun for the purpose of being able to deal with classified documents. is that a fair statement? >> that's correct, sir. >> now as i understand that, the high threat post there's an additional mandate or responsibility that we have asked the marines to performance; is that correct? >> yes, sir. >> what would that be? >> we have renegotiated the them memorandum and clearly emphasized that our new mandate

is equal protection for our personnel and our facilities in our embassies while protecting classified information. sir, if i may. >> yes. >> even when we had the smaller numbers assigned to the detach. in many cases six or seven marine. the primary responsibility was protection of classified information. there wasn't anybody that understand as an extremist the job was to protect the people. we were not staffing with enough marines necessarily to take on that role. what we're working with the marine corps. is in particularly in the high-threat location to increase the numbers of marines at each of one of those posts so they are better capable of doing the defense portion as well. >> i appreciate you expounding upon that. it didn't suggest that marines will standby and see people killed. certainly there was no staffing

level to be able to accomplish that. particularly high-threat posts. >> is the new marine understanding that come together with the state department on high threat post or globally? the memorandum agreement is global. the reality is we are concentrating on our highest threat on increasing our marine staffing at those locations. >> okay. then finally, i want to get to host government capacity. they found in that in the libyan government's response to be profoundly lacking on the night of the attack. a it relies on the host government capacity as well as their will. those are two critically important. you have the will be now the the capacity. have the capacity but not the

will. they both need to be there. so as we look beyond libya, and we're looking now globally, how do you assess these variables? how do you quantify them how do these determinations go to your overall security assessment? is the provision we have included in the legislation, which deals with the question not of lowest cost, but the best cost for performance as well to give you the flexibility particularly in places where that will be critical to security a desire to flexibility . i know there are multiple questions in there. >> let me take the last part of that and turn bill on part of this. on the contracting, sir, we believe that it is critical and we thank you very much for

recognizing that situations and almost all of our posts are pretty different and certain cases where we don't have perhaps the level of support because of the willingness or capability from the host government. situations may arise where the idea of lowest cost technically acceptable contracting is not going give us the guard force that we think that we could get if we had another instrument to contract with. we want to thank you. we believe that adding this capability where we believe it increase significantly it give us a tool to do that, sir. i think it's an important step that allows us address some of the inherit capability where we don't necessarily have the level of support from our host government we would like.

>> how do you assess the host government's ability, willingness, what -- how to you quantify it? how do you make those determinations to factor in your overall security assessment? >> to some extent, it's a subjective call. but we quantify as much as we possibly can through our various partners with us at the embassy who help to assist the training that the host services have received. historically in many posts we have a relationship that gone back for a number of decades. question quantify then what our expectations should be and how well they can live up to the expectations. in some instances because of recent instability, the expectations has been nullified. it's matter of us in taking the opportunity, as i said in my opening statement go to extraordinary issues which are standard. in those instances of the best value contracting gives us the

opportunity to achieve a level of competence with our local guard forces we wouldn't necessarily be able to achieve with the host nation services. >> mr. chairman, if i may, i think we can quantify the capability pretty well by working closely with the defense colleague or intelligence colleague or our own security staff. we can see pretty well and make a pretty good determination of the capability of the host government. much more subjective is the question of what is the particular willingness at the time, and we are much more sensitive the entire department is to having a better analysis capability and having our political officers and ambassadors really weighing in on what is the particular host government desire to help us and particular time. there's certain places where we can have a great deal of willingness on a tuesday afternoon and in some cases by

friday afternoon it may not be there. i think it's part of the dill problem. it's part of our solution. our security personnel, bill, and i, and others to work closely with the regional bureaux and with our ambassadors. and -- >> i have one final question. it's on the question of intelligence, and it's use integration to your able. analysis. looking at changing events, which might indicate a different threat level that we may not have tradition -- in the new paradigm in which we live in. which unfortunately requires us to think outside the box. you know, the terrorists have to get -- we have to get right 100% of the time. that's a tough challenge. that's our challenge. how are you integrating the use

of intelligence in are you receiving the flow of information that is essential, i would think, for you to continue to make a analysis on in real time ongoing basis so you can adjust accordingly where you need to. >> yes, sir, the relationship across the spectrum of intelligence community and us has broadened and deepened. we have officers that from other agencies that are working with us at our desks and our offices now. the level of coordination that goes on in term of discussion of threats is deeper and wider and held both at the working level at the national security staff level. the coordination we have with our regional bureau is now --

every weekday morning, saturday and sunday if necessary we look at the threat that come in most recently. in the same meetings we have representative from the regional bureau of the department of state. we are linking up the political with the intelligence that is coming in. if i can say one thing, sir, one major strategic lesson that came out of benghazi. one of the observations of the arb was that there was no specific intelligence in benghazi to indicate there was a threat. and i think it -- you can lull yourself in to a position where there's no specific intelligence. you say we must be okay. i think one of the major changes that has happened we're much more aware of the larger atmospheric in these countries, the prelim, the social, what is going on in term of web activity, social networking. trying to keep abreast what we

see is going on in that country in addition to whether or not we have specific intelligence threats is a much deeper, much broader effort than we've had before as women. so i think both sides. it's the intelligence side that is deeper, broader, and more important to us. it's also keeping much more abreast behalf is really happening in that location and melding the two in to our decision making and what we do as a recommendation further in the department. >> and when you say that your use or access or universe of intelligence is deeper and wider. are you referring to the deeper and wider as post benghazi? >> yes. >> all right. with that, seeing no other member with the committee. the thank for the committee for the service and the men and women who serve under you in protecting our diplomat ises aprocess.

we have thanks of the committee. we look forward to a continuing engagement with you as we try to move it forward. the record will remain open to the close of business tomorrow. with that, the hearing is truly adjourned. >> the state department released a warning that read the. it could include official and private interested in the region. commenting on the news was house minority leader knapp in the weekly legislative briefing. here's what she had to say to reporter. >> i am wondering for you have

been briefed on the reason why e embassy are going to be closed this sunday, and now there's a worldwide travel alert through the entire month of august. what is your understanding of the threat, have you been briefed? should americans be overly concerned about security right now? >> [inaudible] on the subject. my staff was at that briefing, and they briefed me as to what the basis of it is, yes, we have been briefed. and now that it's in the public domain that the embassy will be closed, and there's a travel alert for americans traveling you with watch the briefing in the video library. go to c-span.org. this weekend on c span, live

coverage of the national governor's association annual summer meeting in milwaukee, wisconsin. they discuss infrastructure and the global economy. booktv in-depth. your question for author and head of peed -- peedpediatric neurosurgery. the national negotiation's association kicked off the three-day summer long meeting meeting in milwaukee. it allows governors to participate in a series of sessions focused on national and state issues. next the opening press conference from today's event beginning with republican governor scott walker of wisconsin. >> good morning.

glad to have you here in milwaukee, wisconsin. thank you for joining us for the morning press conference. i'm going give a brief opening and turn it over to jack. in addition to governor from delaware we are joined by governor fallon, who is the vice chair for oklahoma, and will be the incoming chair on sunday. and two other fellow member of the executive committee, her we herbert the governor from utah who hosted this two years ago in salt lake city and park city. governor john hickenlooper here from colorado. looking ghood a tie. i like that. who has good connection in wisconsin. in the previous life in the professional world helped us out a little bit. we like that connection as well. we are just pleased to host this the 2013 annual meeting of the national governor's association. we started about two years ago with visit milwaukee. really being the the impetus

here locally. at the time, my wife and i talked with our tourism department about bidding on the convention, this annual meeting. and went to visit milwaukee. they put together a team for this event, we already had great review last night. we had the governors and participates over to miller park showed of what espn calls not only the best ballpark in all of major league baseball but one of the best stadium in all of professional sports. tonight, thankfully the rain came in early this morning and doesn't seem to stick around. tonight a number of governors including governor fallon will be joining us. she took lessons to ride within the harley ride in honor of 110th anniversary. we're hosting an event tonight at the harley davidson museum, just a short distance from here. a number of us will be riding along with combat veterans.

excuse me, to highlight the 110th an to have fun tonight there to show off another unique attraction to milwaukee, and the state of wisconsin. on saturday we'll be on the lake wisconsin showing off one of our unique assets with the lake front here in lake michigan. and the great facility looking down the way at summer fest. the world's largest music festival to the first designed behind us at the art museum and the great attraction we have here. we are pleased on behalf of my wife and i sprp we are pleased to be hosting our fellow governor, their spouses, their families, their staffs and those interested in the work in the bipartisan work of the national governor's association. we are pleased to be hosting everyone here. we're hopeful that in addition to everybody being here these couple of days that folks will be interested in coming back and maybe that holding their own convention and conferences here

in milwaukee and the state of wisconsin. we appreciate you coming. with that, i would like to turn to governor jack. the chair of the national governor's association. >> jack. >> good morning, everybody. i want to thank governor walker and his wife for doing a great job. everybody had a great time last night at the brewer's field. and we're looking forward to the rest of the weekend as well. i'm very pleased, i'm joined by governor fallon, the vice chair of nga this last year. it's been wonderful to work with her and also hickenlooper and herbert have joined us as well. you know, washington may be grit locked these days, but the governors are not. we, you know, we have to grapple with the needs of our citizens and figure out solution to the key issues of the day putting people work, and improving schools, health care, of course, infrastructure, homeland security, all of those issues. these are the issues that are on our agenda for the weekend.

i want to give you a little bit of a snap shop of the things we're working on. one of the biggest challenges, of course, is around health care. while all the attention tends to be on the implementation of the affordable care act, actually a lot of the most important work is going on now is innovation in the states figuring out how we transform the way we deliver and pay for health care. and there's really very exciting work going on in many states across the country and one of the best part of the nga meeting is the opportunity we have to learn from each other and we're going to be doing exactly that. to assist governors in navigating some of these complex health care issue. rerepeatedly -- the health care sustainability task force that is lead by the governor of oregon and the governor of tennessee. it focuses on some of the innovation at the state level that look at the redesign of how

we deliver and pay for health care. the idea, of course, being to improve quality and reduce cost. we believe there's actually there's very good strategy to do that. the second group we put together is the state health policy advisory board. that really is to offer a broader and deeper perspective staffed bay number of experts in the field and really aim to giving good advice to governors. we, as governors, believe in what we call flexible federalism. what that means a strong cooperative relationship between states and the federal government can solve problems at both levels. and that's really what we work on a lot certainly at the meeting that we have every february in washington where question get together with the president and his team as well as with members of congress. one of the things we're focused on there is the continuum to ask for flexibility and the work force investment act and the 15%

set aside to crete jobs to spur economic growth to help families grow their income and get people back to work. we are also keenly focused on the role that the skilled work force plays in a economic development. it used to be if a company was going expand it was likely to happen in the united states. but these days i know i've taken a number of trade dole graciouses around the -- dell graciouses around the world. i know, the other governors have as well. whether it's israel, india, south korea, or china or pretty much anywhere these days. it's stunning to see how multinational companies are investing and putting research facilities, manufacturing facility, and the like in these other countries. twenty five years ago, almost by necessity these investments would have gone here in the united states or perhaps western europe. that's not the world that we live in anymore. the competition, in fact, is fierce. there are three billion people in the world looking for jobs. there are 1.2 billion jobs

available. we're in this global war for jobs and talent. the jobs are going go where the talent. we have to act accordingly. i think the issues will be a part of what we discuss this weekend. the governors have urged congress complete the long overdue real authorization of the elementary and secondary education act. we stressed importance of including a strong state-lead science, technology, matt, education fund. in any house immigration legislative package. at the same time while we're focused on what happened in washington. many of us have our own initiative around stem education as well. one of the great things i value in these conferences is the opportunity that we have to learn from each other including around education. on the issue of homeland security, governors in con june continuous to encourage full use, the national guards cost-effective approach to

deliver i are. the high level of skill to maintain critical capability. that was a initiative they were very involved in. we have also got to address the nation's water infrastructure needs earlier this year nga released representation for reauthorizing the water resources development act. which called for legislation that would lead to long-term certainty and stability around the modernization of our water infrastructure. finally in preparation for comprehensive tax reform we have a tax reform task force that was lead by the governor of kentucky and the governor of pennsylvania. they released their guiding principle on federal tax reform. that focuses on the interest exclusion on municipal bond and the federal deductible of state

and local taxes. in addition the broader principle addressed the broader issue of insuring the federal tax reform does not limit or preemplet state authority. so you can see we have been very busy. there's a lot to be done. we continue to face fiscal challenge in our state and several years of slow recovery we are all challenged with providing resource and the critical area that have to be cut during the recession. we are challenged by the federal declining funds that are suggest including medicaid and higher ed and construction. -- correction. we better address the economic challenge by create more opportunity for our people. that's going to be a theme of many of the conversations this weekend. as we discuss job creation, you know, everyone want to be the

jobs governors. but we want to make sure that we're focusing on opportunity for all of our constituents. so there are not many perk of being the chair of nga as we will find out. one of them is that every chair gets to focus on one initiative for the organization. and the initiative that i worked on this year focuses on one segment of our population that has often been left out of the discussion. that's people with disabilities. we haven't made nearly enough progress even since the passage of the american with disability act. more than two-thirds of working age americans with the disability are outside the labor force. that's more than 10 million people we are not reaching in order tap in to their talent. so this year's initiative was entitled a better bottom line; employing people with the disability inspect is the blueprint we'll be releasing today. we use that phrase a better bottom line, because that is how we are focused can. it's not about charity.

one of the most powerful part of the entire was was to listen to business leader tell others they employ people with disability not out of charity because it's in the best interest of their shareholders. we have to raise awareness how tapping in to the talent pool can be effective for businesses. we had more than 60 meetings and event of governors and the policy makers. and business people advocate and the like. i was particularly taken bay comment that the ceo of walgreens made when he was in washington in february speaking to all of the governors, he begun, emphasized it's not -- walgreens is a great employer of people of dainltses. they don't do so because it's the nice thing to do. they don't do so because it's charity. they do so because it's the right thing to do for their business. over the last year, we have found ways that state government and businesses can partner to bring more job opportunities to people with disabilities.

we have been working to provide governors and other policy makers with some very specific tools they can use to not only look at the environment and state but come up withslutions that are designed to support this population. that's what has lead to the development of this. in this blueprint, are some concrete stamps -- camp what governors and policy makers can do to advance employment opportunity in the state for people with disabilities. we intention nayly wrote it to map out specific idea practical action that governors can take and not as a report that is going sit on a shelf somewhere. it covers five key area. not as a stand alone or act of charity. but focused on spie grating it with the overall work force development strait have a gi. finding and support more businesses that hire and retain

people with disabilities. the only way we can take this to scale we get the business community to embrace this. the good news we have a lot of businesses who started con the path. we need to make sure they are -- sharing their shores. we need to make sure that states are model employers. you know, it's a lot better if we go a business and say it's something you consider when we are ourselves have shown we are doing in our state. number four, i have to do a better job of preparing youth with disability to help them prepare for a life where there's an expectations of employment and not prepare for life where they're dependent on benefit. finally, we have to make sure we are making the best use of resources, obviously, state resources are typically limit the make sure happening in the federal resources but foundation resources. we have made -- i believe we're making very good strides in the front across the country. we have a lot more to do. i look forward to the opportunity this week and going to some more detail with my

fellow governors. so with that, what i would like to turn it over to governor fallon. the vice chair of the nga governor of oklahoma. we have been joined by the governor of hawaii. great to see you. great to see you. thank you for joining us. governor fallon is going make some comment and we're going turn it over to q & a and the governors will have a chance to chime in as they see fit. with that, governor fallon. >> thank you. >> thank you. what a beautiful place it is to be this morning. governor walker, stunning view. thank you for hosting us here. we appreciate your work on behalf of the national governor's association. -- you lead us a great year of productivity and working on many important issues for our nation tps. been a great success. we are glad to be join by our fellow colleagues that joined us

here. thank you for coming this morning. i know, i certainly am going take valuable lessons from you, jack, as we continue to move the nga along and have the opportunity this sunday we have a change of relationship. -- leadership. i want to take a moment to thank governorwalker and his wife for a wonderful weekend. we had a great time last night we have some of the colleagues that went down the slide on the burlap sacks. i didn't try it. i had to be prepared to speak this morning. i heard it was a graft great time had at the baseball stadium and certainly a beautiful stadium. absolutely remarkable. the food was great. i think everybody had some hot dogs and french fries and brats and other things that maybe not on our health diet.

it was fun to have that kind of food. we are excited to be here in milwaukee. we know we have a tremendous agenda lined up and some great speakers to talk about some important issues that are facing our nation. we have a very busy weekend ahead of us. the governor outlined there's many important topics. we are certainly very appreciative of his work on those disabled here in america, and what we can do to help those who have challenges ahead of them and how we can integrate them better in to 0 a work force and certainly improve our work force itself. as was mentioned health care remains one of the topics facing our governors across our nation. they are leading the effort in the area of health care cost containment how to encourage our population to take personal responsibility for their health care. become educate on various health

care issues. and it's certainly one of the major cost drivers for our state budgets, and we certainly have a lot of federal legislation that is effecting our states and how we run our health care systems. so we're going to hear a time report on that. i should say on health care and have a special session. low we can deal with the health care system and cost containment. and our opening session we're also going to have a session on health and homeland security. and which we'll talk about providing for the health of our veterans. also helping provide better services for our veterans. we have done a tremendous amount of work with the nga on behalf ever our veterans great best practices and example of ways question help provide them jobs, and certainlier ensure our

veterans and families are spompted because of their wonderful contribution they made to our nation. how we can provide better access to benefit and services for them while their protecting us certainly in our nation. our second half of our session will deal with homeland security and preparedness. governors are certainly invested in making sure our systems are safe from any type of terrorist attacks. we have to deal with major disasters and other emergencies that arise within our various states and certainly across our borders. we also are going take a looked at our state efforts to develop and maintain our core capacities to prevent, prepare, and respond, and recover from any type of large-scale emergencies that are our states might be effected by. i know, that in oklahoma, as you have seen recently, back in may, we experienced some tremendous natural disasters that occurred

when we had tornadoes that went through many of our different communities, especiallifully moore, oklahoma. we loss of life and loss of facilities and homes and businesses and we've had over tragedies that effected not only my state but other states around the nation. we think it's very important for governors to be able to share idea an what they been through. we think that it's important we help our new governors from what we call our baby governor, our new governors that come online to be prepared on day one to have the ability to handle any type of natural disaster or type of emergency that might come in to their administration. i know, that when i first took office, my first day of being

sworn in as governor of oklahoma we a major ice storm right at the time i was being sworn in. even leading up to my time having my inauguration at noon, which was mandated by the constitution. i had an ice storm. we had decide whether we had the inauguration or not have the inauguration. whether we can keep the public safe during the time has come to mind, my mind, that it's important for all governors to be prepared on day one for natural disasters. in addition we'll be working on education and work force issues. as mentioned jobs is always very important to each of our states. each of our governors. we're going to be talking about economic growth and job creation. and we need provide the best training possible to have a highly skilled, educate work force to be able to give our educational institutions the tools they need so they can be successful and provide the type of work force our businesses not only require but the businesses

demand. the education work force committee will convene to look at innovation and the work force with training and employment services to help create jobs and certainly help create better incomes for families. tomorrow we'll move to other issues like infrastructure and transportation. the economic and development committee will hold a joint session on the state of america's infrastructure. which will cover many issue. our nation's infrastructure system. enhance our economic activity and growth and sustain our quality of life. it promotes a better flow of commerce, and certainly helps support the gettiveness of our nation and a global economy. infrastructure system though are challenging for our state. many of our infrastructure systems in our nation are outdated. they're becoming older. they require more funding.

they also require more innovation. and also require our attention. and so we're going have a great session on infrastructure needs and how we can work together as governors and certainly with our state and federal partners. during tomorrow's joint session of governors we're going talk about how the nation can support under economic growth and build strong intergovernmental partnership to support long-term policy. on saturday afternoon the governors will discuss a broad issue of constructions reform. and the rising population that we see in many of our correctional institutions throughout our nation, the costs our state are facing with many of our increasing prison populations and also our aging correctional facility and how we deal with those type of issues. how we can be smart and tough on

crime but also smart on crime. it's also a very important issue. and other pressing needs that are competing for our budget and revenue and state. we also want to make sure we protect our citizens of our state that punish criminal and facility meaning of the reentry once people come out of our correction facility back in to our community system of cost-effective way possible. and finally on sunday, we're going to talk about cybersecurity and as you see in a recent headline and every-increasing threat to our nation for cybersecurity attack across our country and state and certainly within our business and infrastructure. we believe governors have key role to play in the defense of our nation. last year they created a resource center for state cyber security to address these growing challenges. this session we'll look at other

things governors are doing across the nation to be able to share best practice us -- and they are doing to help with cybersecurity. as you can tell. we have a busy agenda and a busy weekend. and going look forward to be able to listen to our fellow governors, listen to experts in the private sector, and certainly continue to collaborate between each other and find various issues facing our nation. governor, that's all i have. i would be happy to move on. >> great. >> we would like to open it up to your questions. [inaudible]

when they want to be able to -- when they want some kind of predictability with respect to immigration reform and the ability to hirelet say skilled workers coming from elsewhere and they don't have the predictability. that's a strike against us. behave an effort and david qawm in the nga head couple federal affair effort where we lobby in washington. frankly even more important is the work we're doing this weekend when we learn from each other. we can't afford it.

and wait for washington to fix it. there's a lot of things question do learn from each other. that's what we're doing. anybody else want to say anything in response? go ahead and step up. >> we believe as governors that it's important that we lead by example. governors are stepping up with solutions to problems. one of the things we see in our state is where there's uncertainty in washington, d.c., that uncertainty can effect our economic climate and revenue growth. we have uncertainty with issues like sequestration, whether we have a budget deal done, or transportation bill will be reauthorized. or no child left behind. all of those things that are left undone. the uncertainty in washington, d.c., has an impact on our states. it has an impact of not knowing what our federal funds are going to be back to our states. it has an effect on the private sector. and so when we try to do in our

state is create the certainty so we can hopefully be able to create jobs, grow our economies, but i think it's important that we as governors continue to work congress and the administration. toker size we need to have decisions made. the lack of decisions harm our states and how we run our states. >> i want to comment particularly on the transportation infrastructure side. i think that part of the reason we have a national governor's association, and why many of us try to attend and work with one another and stay in touch with one another is that there has been -- i don't know if you can call it a sea change, but the phenomena that several of us who are governors now understand only too well from our experience in the congress.

mary and i, for example, were colleagues working on armed services issues. we put the mission in front of us and we're able to work together. that's not taking place today. the failure of the transportation bill, and chairman rogers' frustration, i think, exemple fies what is taking place there today. what we are doing in the state of hawaii, and in reaction to that, and in response, i think, is to have our own infrastructure stimulus program, if you will. we're going put three quarters of a billion dollars in to our airport systems statewide. it's fundamental to our economic security in a place like hawaii to have travel and hop hospitality facilities are attractive and make it easy for people to come to see us and have a pleasant experience as they leave.

so with interest rates as they are at the present time, we know they will never be lower. they can only rise, and so i think that at least the program we have in our state which i have been sharing with others is that we don't have to wait on washington to take advantage of the capacity we have. if you have a solid financial situation in your state, if you have been able to turn it around , as we have, from the fiscal chaos that existed before, then you are able to move forward. it may be more modest in macroterms we think of a national basis. in term of the stability of our population, the confidence of the state population, and the state is moving forward. the single best factor you can bring to bear is a statewide

infrastructure investment program. we don't think of it in term of spending at all. we think of it as a basic investment in the super structure. social, economic, and political in the state. and so it may be that the states will lead the way in recreating our -- the confident -- confidence of our country as whole in term of looking to the future. all we can do at this stage is try to remind our friends in congress, when -- many of whom with we serve that this worked and worked under tough conditions and political conditions before. ..

>> sometimes there are differences of opinion and interpretation of a 2000 seven-page statute which has 2700 pages of regulation. so it has been a difficult thing is we try to find our way. but i can at least express my expressions. we have found the fourth option we still have times and concerns